Jacob hepperly



, duurt 'tant @anni dttitiirr.

JACOB HEIJP'ERLY, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

Lette/rs Patent No.' 94,314, dated August 31, 1869.

.The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pari:l of the sanne.

To all whom it may concern: i

Y Beit known that I, JACOB HEPPERLY, of the city and county of Peoria, andState of Illinois, have in- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lower side of v Figure 4 is an'imaginary section of chutes and water-wheel below.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of water-wheel.

Figure 6 is a plan view of chute-box, the dotted lines showing the gates.

Figure 7 is a plan view of waterwheel.`

Like letters iu the figures of the drawings indicate like parts.

This water-wheel is designed to be a portable one, as the whole apparatus can'be used for many purposes where a stream or even a current of water through pipes, is available; as from hydrants, from water-works, or reservoirs. i

I construct the reservoirs A of any desirableV shape, cylindrical is preferable, closed at the top, except for admission of Vwater by the pipe U, by a strong plate, B, bolted through the top of thereservoir to the flapge n, but having an opening4 in the centre for the wheel or p'ewer-shaft f.

W'hen a full head ofv water is zwailahle, it maybe admitted by the vertical nozzle U, above mentioned, to which a pipe may be screwed, or otherwise xed, or it may receive the spout of chute or funnel even.

When a lower head of water is running, it may be inducted through the opening V in the side of the reservolr.

A short distance above the chutes lea-'ding to the wheel, I place a screen or grating, h, to catch all' sticks, twigs, leaves, &c., from clogging the chutes or wheel,

which substances may be removed through the manhole or sliding hatch XY, giving access to the space above and below the grating at the same place.

The lower edge of the reservoir A rests ou the sur- -face of the circular frame or ange n, also ush against the vertical sides ofthe shoulder z' ofthe chute-box.

The bottom .of the reservoir is closed by the gates or circular hatches c a, on arms radiating and centred on the box, round the shaft-tube g,which shut off the water from the real bottom of the reservoir, vformed by the horizontal chute-box`G. The

y iiange or shoulder i of the latter rests on the circular fitme or4 supporter n, which supports the whole mac me.-

The chute-box is pierced with several oblique chutes 'a a, or inclinedpassages for water to the rotary wheel below the box, the course of each chute being the arc of a circle, `and are arranged around the outward limits of the box. t

The chutes a c are carried downward ata sucint angle to gain the utmost amount of force in rotating the wheel D below which such an application of waterpower will give. v

The water impinges against the back of the vbuckets b b of the wheel, the latter, of course, fitting up cleanly to the under surface of the chute-box C, merely leaving enough space between them to allow of motion.

The buckets b b are placed in a corresponding circle to the chutes above them, but are more` numerous, and are concave, or of such a form as will present a pocket' to the impact of the water, yet not so much curved as to prevent the immediate discharge of water, so as to obviate the clogging ofthe wheel'.

The wheel itself is fastened to the lower end of the vertical shaft j, which passes through it, and thence upward through the chute-box through an enclosingtube, g, in the reservoir, out4 at the plate, where a pulley is attached to it'for belt. Its upper bearing is a box, on the adjustable circle O, around the inductionpipe U. Their latter bearing is made Inova-ble, for the purpose of adjustment of the shaft, in case :that the latter or the wheel may have shifted from a vertical or a horizontal position.

l'Ihe lower end of the shaft is stepped on cross-arms connecting with the base of the machine, the -supportsof which I so arrange as to allow a space between them for the removal of the wheel D, for repairs, if neces-'- v sary.

flhe base, as well asthe ange n, is circular in the drawings, the formerof lesser diameter than .the latter, for the purpose of its insertion into the upper part of a chamber or draught-tube or duct of water, when the flange n would then rest on the rim of the tube or duct on which it was set, and could be `made watertight, so as to secure a partial vacuum below the wheel, thus adding to the vweight of the discharged water in its sucking action, so to speak, on the wheel and chutes.

The tube enclosing the shaft f is constructed so as to exclude all water from the shaft, by its close junction with the box below and the cover above, receiving as itdoes the nozzle of a short pipe above, around the opening in the plate or cover B, and a similar nozzle projecting from the chute-boxrbelow.

The gatesa a have on theircommon uniting-ring, teeth engaging with -the rack attached to a spindle, and worked by bevel-wheels and a hand-wheel at the top' of the cylinder.

.The Voperation of the machinevis as follows:

The water being admitted 'through the nozzle U,

passes through the grating h, where such objects as would obstruct the chutes and wheel aree kept back, and passing through the chute-box C, strikes the buckets of the water-wheel D, which being stationary ou a shaft, f, which also .carries a pulley on its upper end above the machine, aords the drivingpower.

The speed is regulated by the gates E, managed by the rack. f

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y The arrangement of the screen or grating h, sliding hatch W, adj ustable circle O, with box embracing shaft f, induction-pipe U, and opening V, substantiallyin the manner and for the purposes as herein described.

JACOB HEPPERLY.

Witnesses:

EDMUND THURLOW, W. A. LovETT. 

